selfreflexive

Selfreflexive is an adjective describing something that refers to or reflects upon its own nature, status, or process. It is used across fields such as literature, film, philosophy, social theory, and linguistics to denote awareness of self-reference or self-constitution.

In literature and film, selfreflexive works foreground their status as made artifacts. They may employ metafiction, overt narration, or breaking the fourth wall to remind audiences that they are viewing a representation rather than a direct reality.

In philosophy and social theory, selfreflexivity denotes the practice of examining how knowledge or inquiry is shaped by the investigator's standpoint, assumptions, and social position. This includes methodological reflexivity in research and critical self-examination of theoretical premises.

In linguistics and discourse analysis, selfreflexive phenomena include self-referential use of language, such as reflexive pronouns or discourse markers that signal awareness of the utterance's own status.

In art and media, selfreflexivity appears in installations, performance, or cinema that invites audiences to question how meaning is produced, often by highlighting the frame, production process, or the role of viewers.

Etymology and usage: selfreflexive is a compound form, sometimes hyphenated as self-reflexive; the related noun is self-reflexivity; the concept is closely related to metanarrative and reflexivity. Related terms include metafiction, reflexivity, self-reference.